Israel airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill 13

Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Monday, killing 13 people, including women and children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The strikes marked a sharp escalation after several weeks of relative calm in the border region, raising concerns about a renewed intensification of hostilities between the two neighbours.

Israel said the operations were aimed at Iran‑backed Hezbollah, which it accused of violating a ceasefire that has been in place since the end of the Gaza conflict. Israeli officials indicated that the campaign would continue as long as they deem Hezbollah’s activities to be a threat, while the militant group has not issued any comment on the recent attacks.

The latest exchange adds to the fragile security situation along the Israel‑Lebanon frontier, where sporadic clashes have persisted since the 2023 war in Gaza. International observers have called for restraint from both sides to prevent further civilian casualties and to maintain the tentative stability that had developed in recent weeks.